The ongoing so-called life and times of a
self-confessed obsessive compulsive music nut

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I got "Airchecked!"

The radiojingles dude strikes yet again! This time, he airchecked my Monday night show, boo-boos and all. (How embarrassing)Hey, happens to the best of us (convenient excuse). But, I say "you're only as good as your last boardwork." Which is why I, personally, always give 100%. Boarding like it's your last ever boardwork. But, back to radiojingles.. some very interesting, and if I may say constructive, criticism. Read on. My personal critique below the article.

I pulled a Campus FM off air montage last night, I caught Jimmy Jam on the air from 5-7 pm. He was having this cut-by-the-vocals ’syndrome’ which is of course common among DJs. It was like at the top of the 5 pm drive when Jimmy Jam introed a Linkin Park song only to be caught by the vocals. I am always been a big fan of Jimmy Jam, but I believe the guy has an excellent talent in reinventing himself. Not because he was absent for a while in a CHR radio, but his style is just so 90s. (I’m sorry)

Big deep voices on the radio are not obsolete, they sound best in promos and liners. These days, what sells and cuts through in DJing are the boy-next door type of DJ voices. Gone are the days of the old Rick Dees or Casey Casem style of disc jockeying, so I should say my dear friend should reinvent himself.

Not in a way, that he should sound like a 16 year old kid. It’s just that the usual DJing stuff just don’t cut it anymore.

Anyway, I’d like to commend 99.5 Campus FM for a having a decent radio station imaging. Nothing beats a simple non-processed voiceover liners that say the words “99.5 Campus FM Is The Number One Hit Music Station in Metro Manila”. The traffic promo was nicely done, just lengthy though.

As I said, most constructive criticism and concise observations. Here's my two cents. You're right about the LP song, introing without prior audition. My bad. As for my voice..Honestly speaking, I am NOT happy with my voice. Okay, I know what you're say.. "Aww, that's modesty speaking.." But for the longest time, I have NOT liked my voice, personally. But it's my voice. I'm stuck with it. So there. It's done me well for the last twenty years, thank you very much. And listeners seem to be happy with the way I handle business. Back in the day, a high premium was placed on how "baritone" your voice was. Definitely Old School, as opposed to today.

DJs today (if they may be called as such) have less errr, bass, oft of the tenor variety, as opposed to the abovementioned "big, deep voices." Maybe it's the age.. no, the maturity behind it, I guess. Not to discount the experience, as well. Not to slag today's breed of DJs, but let's face it. Is sounding "good" a higher premium than sounding off with sense?Today's thrust in Radio is towards the more talk, less music approach. Fewer and fewer DJs are playing music and talking more. My point being, are they really saying something? I was trained that whenever you open your mouth in front of a microphone, you had better say something substantial and entertaining, and not just blab. Say something. With sense.

That's why we at 99.5 Campus FM are bringing back the old standards. These "so 90's" ethos that "don't cut it anymore.." or do they? Campus Radio has always been about more music, the very staple of Radio, with not exactly less talk, but informative and entertaining talk. As a matter of fact, we do talk more, in a way, the only difference is it's done between songs and during intros/extros, as opposed to talking at a stretch for five, ten, fifteen minutes or longer; which we can do, too.. but we don't. Why? Because we're not only DJs. We're entertainers.After all, it's the sole purpose of a DJ. To entertain his/her listeners. Once you cease to entertain them, you have failed as a DJ. It's Old School, yes. But without the Old, there wouldn't be any New. And we're bringing that back. Sure, talk is in at the moment. It's in, but is it entertaining? Really entertaining?We feel that that's what Radio needs right now.A return to the Old School standards. At least, like you, that's my two cents. Again, thanks for the critique. Keep listening.

1 Comments:

Hello guys! Man if I were you, don't ever change the way you speak.. be proud of your voice. When I worked in Manila in 2005, i heard jimmyjam and I was shocked 'cos he sounded 99.9% like my friend (JoeyBig)who happened to be a dj too in campus radio legazpi .. I worked with him in 2002-2005. Having that kind of voice is still okay.. why copy those "boynextdoor" type, besides they're multiplying like tadpoles! So stay what or how you are. Be always unique! :)